1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to peripheral devices for wireless communication devices, and more particularly to a peripheral device that allows a user to interact with data on a wireless communication device.
2. Background Art
Wireless communication devices, such as cell phones, have become more intelligent over the past years. In addition to providing conventional wireless functionality for allowing voice telephony, these devices have also been used for tasks such as taking notes at a meeting or lecture, scheduling appointments, looking up addresses, surfing the World Wide Web, sending electronic messages, and performing a whole host of other functions.
Existing wireless communication devices usually offer a relatively small screen that presents significant usability problems when users attempt to perform advanced tasks with the device. For example, when a user of a wireless communication device accesses the Web, he or she can usually only see small portions of pages at a time. Some web browsers for wireless communication devices attempt to fit an entire page (or at least a portion equivalent to that which a user would see on a normal PC display) on a miniature screen. Such screen size limitations frustrate the user experience.
Furthermore, most existing wireless communication devices offer a small keyboard that inhibits usability. Such keyboards generally cannot provide the same functionality and convenience as a full-sized keyboard.
One traditional solution is to provide an add-on standard-sized keyboard. For example, the STOWAWAY keyboard, manufactured by Think Outside, Inc., is an add-on hardware accessory available for wireless communication devices. This portable keyboard transforms from a compact, eight-ounce box into a standard-sized keyboard. Once a user snaps the device into this portable keyboard, the user is ready to type.
Add-on keyboards such as the STOWAWAY suffer from several drawbacks. For example, such devices are often cumbersome to carry, unfold, and connect to a wireless device. Furthermore, such add-on input devices fail to provide an integrated mechanism that, in addition to providing improved input capabilities, allows a user to view and interact with applications on a full-sized screen.
What is needed is an inexpensive device that provides both an add-on full-sized keyboard and a full-sized screen in a single integrated unit that easily connects to a wireless communication device and allows direct interaction with data on the wireless communication device.